A New U.S. Food and Agriculture Policy — and an Opportunity for Peru

U.S. food policy is undergoing a transformation that could carry major consequences not only for American consumers, but also for agricultural producers and exporters in other countries. Under the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative, led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the federal government has proposed reviewing nutrition and public health policy, with greater emphasis on chronic disease prevention, food quality, and healthy eating. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has called this process a “historic reset” of federal nutrition policy (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services). This shift could open up opportunities for Peru, whose agricultural biodiversity offers a wide range of natural, organic, and specialty foods. At the same time, it also raises challenges related to regulation, scientific evidence, and export capacity.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has called this policy shift a “historic reset” of federal nutrition policy.

A woman taken a dragon fruit in the supermaket

From Treatment to Prevention

One central argument behind MAHA is that U.S. health policy should pay closer attention to the link between diet and chronic disease. For decades, much of the public health conversation has focused on treating illness once it appears. The new approach aims to place greater weight on prevention, through better eating habits and a clearer understanding of what food actually contains. With that in mind, HHS has announced a review of federal nutrition policy to steer recommendations toward healthier foods and reduce the influence of interests that could conflict with public health goals (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).

This shift matters because it could reshape American consumer preferences. If public policy, nutrition programs, and health campaigns increasingly favor less-processed foods, recognizable ingredients, and higher-nutrition products, demand could shift toward categories like fruits, vegetables, organic foods, traditional grains, and functional foods. In other words, MAHA shouldn’t be viewed only as a health initiative; it could also drive the transformation of the U.S. food and agriculture market.

Why This Matters for Peru

The case for this transformation is especially relevant for Peru. The country holds one of the richest agricultural biodiversities in the world, with a productive tradition that blends ancestral crops with a growing modern export industry. Peru’s biodiversity gives it a strong hand to play, with products like:

Specialty coffee
Cacao
Passion fruit
Red dragon fruit
Ginger
Native potatoes
Purple corn
Sacha inchi and other superfoods

These products are well positioned to meet demand from consumers seeking natural, differentiated foods. The opportunity isn’t simply about selling more Peruvian products — it’s about positioning them within a new food narrative built on diversity, verifiable origin, quality, and traceability.

A Necessary Word of Caution

That said, there’s an important counterargument to consider. It would be a mistake to assume MAHA will automatically boost imports of healthy foods, or that U.S. authorities will deem every natural product healthy. Nutritional and health claims require scientific backing, and imported foods still must meet relevant standards for safety, labeling, food safety, and phytosanitary requirements. What’s more, policies proposed by any administration can evolve, face political pushback, or be revised before becoming permanent regulations. For that reason, Peruvian exporters shouldn’t build their strategy solely on political statements.

Peruvian exporters shouldn’t build their strategy solely on political statements.

Precisely for that reason, Peru’s opportunity needs to rest on more solid ground. Certified organic production, good agricultural practices, traceability, food safety, and the ability to scientifically back up each product’s claims will only matter more. Producers and exporters who can offer transparent information about origin, production processes, and certifications will be best positioned to meet the evolving demands of the U.S. market.

Beyond the Individual Consumer

What’s more, MAHA’s potential impact reaches beyond the individual consumer. As federal agencies revisit nutrition programs, dietary guidelines, and food-related policy, the effects could extend to schools, public institutions, feeding programs, and distribution chains. This could open the door for suppliers able to deliver consistent, safe, and competitive products at scale. In that scenario, the connection between Peruvian producers and U.S. buyers takes on real strategic importance.

Two person are eating a dragon fruit salad

Conclusion

Make America Healthy Again represents more than a political debate about nutrition — it could mark a significant shift in how the United States understands the relationship between food, agriculture, and health. While uncertainty remains around exactly how far some of these proposals will go, the overall direction of the debate creates a potentially favorable environment for natural, organic, and specialty foods. For Peru, the opportunity is considerable, but not automatic. Turning Peru’s biodiversity into a real commercial advantage will require quality, certification, traceability, regulatory compliance, and a professional market-access strategy. In this new landscape, companies and trade representatives able to connect reliable Peruvian producers with U.S. buyers will play a key role. MAHA, in other words, could become not just a shift in American food policy, but also a new gateway for Peruvian agriculture into the United States.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Luis Henry Contreras Del Aguila
Food Industries Engineer Universidad Nacional Agraria de la Selva- Tingo Maria- Peru
Master in Agribusiness Administration ESAN University – Lima-Peru
CEO, Country Agribusiness

REFERENCES

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “HHS Announces Historic Reset of Federal Nutrition Policy.” U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2026, https://www.hhs.gov/press-room/historic-reset-federal-nutrition-policy.html.